Chinese President Xi Jinping did not support the idea of a trilateral summit with the US and Russia to discuss ending the war in Ukraine. During a meeting with German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier in Beijing, the Chinese leader, according to the German president, expressed surprise at reports of possible talks and emphasised the need for European states to be involved. Steinmeier spoke about this in an interview with the German television channel ARD, which was broadcast on 1 November 2026.
Key points at a glance:
- Xi Jinping has not confirmed that a summit between China, the US and Russia on Ukraine is being organised.
- According to Steinmeier, the Chinese leader was surprised by the news of possible talks.
- Beijing believes that European countries should take part in discussions on a peaceful settlement.
- A potential meeting between Trump, Putin and Xi is being discussed in the run-up to the APEC summit.
- The APEC Summit will take place on 18–19 November in Shenzhen, China.
What was Xi Jinping’s response to the summit’s proposal regarding Ukraine?
President of Germany Frank-Walter Steinmeier stated that he had personally raised the issue of possible negotiations between Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping during a meeting in Beijing on 30 October.
According to him, the Chinese leader did not confirm any preparations for such a format of talks on Ukraine.
«In his view, there are no preparations on the horizon for a summit on Ukraine involving the US, Russia and China», — Steinmeier relayed Xi Jinping’s position.
The German president also said that the Chinese leader’s reaction to the question had been unexpected. He observed that Xi’s face showed signs of irritation.
At the same time, Steinmeier did not rule out the possibility that the leaders of the three countries might meet during the forthcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit. However, according to him, war in Ukraine should not be the subject of such a meeting.
China is insisting that Europe take part in the peace talks
During the conversation, particular attention was paid to the role of European states in a possible settlement of the Russian-Ukrainian war.
According to Steinmeier, Xi Jinping stated explicitly that European countries should be involved in the negotiations to bring about a cessation of hostilities.
«He made it clear that this is a European conflict, in which Europeans must also be present at the negotiating table», said the German President.
According to Steinmeier’s account, the Chinese leader did not support the idea of discussing Ukraine’s future exclusively within a framework comprising the US, Russia and China.
At the same time, these statements are known precisely from the German President’s own words. In the Chinese side’s official statement following the talks on 30 October, there is no mention of a trilateral summit on Ukraine.
The Chinese side, for its part, reported that discussions had taken place on bilateral relations, economic cooperation, engagement with the European Union and the international order.
Will there be a meeting between Trump, Putin and Xi Jinping?
News of a possible trilateral summit emerged on the eve of the APEC leaders’ meeting, scheduled for 18–19 November 2026 in Shenzhen, China.
Earlier it was reported that Vladimir Putin proposed holding talks with Donald Trump and Xi Jinping, in particular to discuss issues nuclear disarmament.
According to The Wall Street Journal, Moscow had also been considering the possibility of using a trilateral format to push for its own terms for ending the war against Ukraine.
US President Donald Trump had previously expressed an openness to such a format and suggested that the issue of Ukraine could be raised during a potential meeting.
However, as of 1 November, there has been no confirmation that a separate trilateral summit on the war is to take place. According to Steinmeier’s statements, Beijing has not informed him of any preparations for such talks.
Consequently, the APEC summit in Shenzhen remains the next scheduled international event. Whether a meeting between the leaders of the US, China and Russia will take place on the sidelines of the summit, and what issues they might discuss, has not yet been officially confirmed.
